# District of Columbia becomes a state--- what should it be called? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 22, 2021, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/district-of-columbia-becomes-a-state-what-should-it-be-called/940553 "2021-04-22T17:27:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2021, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/district-of-columbia-becomes-a-state-what-should-it-be-called/940553/41 "2021-04-23T12:45:16Z")
There’s zero doubt that a huge majority of DC residents want DC to be a state. Republicans haven’t even tried to argue otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2021, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/district-of-columbia-becomes-a-state-what-should-it-be-called/940553/42 "2021-04-23T13:56:46Z")
The proposed name in the bill is pretty awful, being simultaneously too long and in conflict with the existing state of Washington. The new state, in the unlikely event it comes into being, should be called simply Douglass Commonwealth. Washington should continue to be the name of the city located within it. Hence the new state would be alphabetized under _D_ for “Douglass,” not _W_ for “Washington.” > [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > On topic, I think anything “X Commonwealth” is too much of a mouthful. No other state gets such a tag appended to its name. It’d get shortened to just plain “Douglass” anyway … I doubt many would shorten it to Douglass. It would be shortened to “D.C.” That was the whole point of picking a new name that could be abbreviated “D.C.” ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2021, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/district-of-columbia-becomes-a-state-what-should-it-be-called/940553/43 "2021-04-23T14:04:14Z")
> [@bibliophage](#): > > The new state, in the unlikely event it comes into being, should be called simply Douglass Commonwealth. Washington should continue to be the name of the city located within it. Constitutionally there HAS to be a capital city that isn’t part of another state. To make this happen without a Constitutional amendment, something has to be left behind as a federal district. Call that “Washington,” surely, would make life a lot easier, while the rest can be called Douglass or whatever. Of course, at that point, this starts to look silly if you really step back and think about it. If the objective is to get the people of the city representation in Congress, it makes more sense to hand that area over to Maryland. ---
**Author:** ![Deeg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deeg/32/2955_2.png) [@Deeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deeg)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2021, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/district-of-columbia-becomes-a-state-what-should-it-be-called/940553/44 "2021-04-23T14:39:28Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > On topic, I think anything “X Commonwealth” is too much of a mouthful. No other state gets such a tag appended to its name. It’d get shortened to just plain “Douglass” anyway … and that is ultimately what I guess I’d pick, though I appreciate the effort to include the full “DC” initials. The official name of Massachusetts is the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (and until recently Rhode Island was “Rhode Island and Providence Plantations”). DC will just be called DC or Douglass so I don’t think it’ll be much of a problem. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2021, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/district-of-columbia-becomes-a-state-what-should-it-be-called/940553/45 "2021-04-23T14:40:57Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Of course, at that point, this starts to look silly if you really step back and think about it. If the objective is to get the people of the city representation in Congress, it makes more sense to hand that area over to Maryland. They would like some senators also. Two of them as a matter of fact, just like states with less population like Wyoming. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2021, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/district-of-columbia-becomes-a-state-what-should-it-be-called/940553/46 "2021-04-23T14:45:14Z")
> [@stuccosuperstar2020](#): > > You really can’t stick with District of Columbia because its not longer just a “district”. I’d bet if you kept the name, and/or just called it “DC”, 95% of Americans wouldn’t even notice. ---
**Author:** ![KMS94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ad7895/32.png) [@KMS94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KMS94)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2021, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/district-of-columbia-becomes-a-state-what-should-it-be-called/940553/47 "2021-04-23T14:46:01Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I thought for the longest time that the Washington Redskins were from Washington state. I’m not sure why, but I’m pretty sure I was a teen or knocking on teenage by the time I realized my mistake. I’m 50 years old, and I learned something new today… 🤣 🤣 🤣 (I don’t follow professional sports at all, never have…) ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2021, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/district-of-columbia-becomes-a-state-what-should-it-be-called/940553/48 "2021-04-23T15:09:47Z")
> [@Deeg](#): > > (and until recently Rhode Island was “Rhode Island and Providence Plantations”) DC statehood will be bittersweet for me having been born in DC and living here in RI now. We used to be the smallest state with the longest name. If DC becomes a state we lose being the smallest state also. But I will retain my status as not having been born in any state because Washington was not a state when I was born. However, when asked my state of birth I might have to respond with a different name. But it often takes more than one try already because it’s not consistently represented in lists of US birthplaces, sometimes under D, sometimes under W. It’s status as a Federal District is the equivalent of state or territory and it should be listed under D for District of Columbia on official lists, yet if asked where I was born responding “The District of Columbia” will get me odd looks. Of course life would sometimes be easier with a name people recognize and not having to add DC for clarity. Americans may be shocked that there are two Kansas Citys and the larger more well known one is in Missouri and not Kansas, or totally confused that New Mexico is a state and not another country, or sometimes even think that Rhode Island is part of New York, but somehow every one of them knows there’s both a city and state named Washington and will ask which one you mean if you don’t specify it. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2021, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/district-of-columbia-becomes-a-state-what-should-it-be-called/940553/49 "2021-04-23T15:36:49Z")
Oooh. How about Jefferson? The [nutcases](https://www.stateofjefferson.com/) out west would turn into enraged chimps. This would be a good way to smear their dumb faces in their own BS. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2021, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/district-of-columbia-becomes-a-state-what-should-it-be-called/940553/50 "2021-04-23T16:29:31Z")
If they don’t get statehood, then I think they should still petition for a name change. To “Doesn’t Count.” ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2021, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/district-of-columbia-becomes-a-state-what-should-it-be-called/940553/51 "2021-04-23T17:48:55Z")
In the 90s and 00s the proposal was “New Columbia”. “Washington, Douglass Commonwealth” looks a lot like a case of that phenomenon so common to the capital, the _“it tells me you really wanted it to spell out SHIELD”_ syndrome – as in PROMESA, USA PATRIOT Act, etc. Someone **really** wants to be able to continue calling the place they represent “Washington, DC” and not have to change anything in the agency codes or the letterheads. Hey, I’ll go ahead and predict it’s almost certain that they will even continue to refer to themselves as “The” Capital City no matter if there is the seat-of-government enclave retained, and that almost immediately there will be lobbying to have the Seat of Government District be redefined as a special federal reservation that nonetheless is “inside” the state of “Washington DC”. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2021, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/district-of-columbia-becomes-a-state-what-should-it-be-called/940553/52 "2021-04-23T19:30:11Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > They would like some senators also. Two of them as a matter of fact, just like states with less population like Wyoming. I’m sure they would, but I’m also sure a lot of cities would. It would be fairer if it was folded into Maryland. DC would more or less be its own Congressional district, so the “Taxation without representation” thing wouldn’t be an issue, and DC residents would have a say in their governor and state rep. ---
**Author:** ![mikecurtis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikecurtis/32/3284_2.png) [@mikecurtis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikecurtis)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2021, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/district-of-columbia-becomes-a-state-what-should-it-be-called/940553/53 "2021-04-23T20:07:19Z")
If the Republicans are so worried about extra Democratic Senators and Reps they could always put in a provision that the new reps be required to be apportioned by party for the next few election cycles. 1 Dem and 1 Rep Senator, and 1 Dem, 1 Rep,1 Ind Congressperson for the next 2 elections and then turn it over to the gen public. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2021, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/district-of-columbia-becomes-a-state-what-should-it-be-called/940553/54 "2021-04-23T20:14:39Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > Douglass is a nice tribute, but a geographical name like Potomac would be my first choice The point of the name is obviously to retain the abbreviation “DC”. And I heartily endorse that. > [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](#): > > Non-American here. Is this likely to happen? No. The house voted for it along party lines. There are some conservative D senators who aren’t on-board, and it all seems rather unlikely. But it’s just barely possible. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2021, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/district-of-columbia-becomes-a-state-what-should-it-be-called/940553/55 "2021-04-23T20:20:30Z")
I actually don’t see a problem with calling it the State of the District of Columbia. In that context “district” is no longer a descriptor but simply part of the historic name. Back in the day, the US Postal Service was once known as the “Post Office Department”, and it apparently bothered no one that “office” and “department” were conflicting organizational descriptors. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2021, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/district-of-columbia-becomes-a-state-what-should-it-be-called/940553/56 "2021-04-23T21:47:34Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > I actually don’t see a problem with calling it the State of the District of Columbia. In that context “district” is no longer a descriptor but simply part of the historic name. Isn’t it the only Federal District of this type? Just call it the District of Columbia, just as four states refer to themselves as ‘Commonwealth’. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2021, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/district-of-columbia-becomes-a-state-what-should-it-be-called/940553/57 "2021-04-23T21:56:45Z")
Yes, we already have a state of Washington, but that shouldn’t be an obstacle. We already have Virginia & West Virginia, North & South Carolinas, and North & South Dakotas. If it should be Washington, make it East Washington. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2021, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/district-of-columbia-becomes-a-state-what-should-it-be-called/940553/58 "2021-04-23T23:05:35Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > I’m sure they would, but I’m also sure a lot of cities would. It would be fairer if it was folded into Maryland Maryland doesn’t want it, though. > [@mikecurtis](#): > > If the Republicans are so worried about extra Democratic Senators and Reps they could always put in a provision that the new reps be required to be apportioned by party for the next few election cycles. ISTM SCOTUS would nuke such a provision SO fast… Congress can legislate the procedure and celebration of Congressional election but not the _outcome_ of the Congressional election. > [@wolfpup](#): > > I actually don’t see a problem with calling it the State of the District of Columbia. In that context “district” is no longer a descriptor but simply part of the historic name. Good point. It’s like the proponents so _badly_ want to _keep writing “DC”_ but want to also make it official they break away with what it was. But yes, the Official/Ceremonial style does not make what it identifies more or less valid or real (as shown by the Providence Plantations having stuck around this long), so it could be State of the District of Columbia or heck, you don’t have to name it “state” or “commonwealth” at all as long as it has a republican form of government, so… Democracy of Columbia; Demarcation of Columbia; Dominion of Columbia; etc. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2021, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/district-of-columbia-becomes-a-state-what-should-it-be-called/940553/59 "2021-04-23T23:53:58Z")
> [@AskNott](#): > > If it should be Washington, make it East Washington. Or change the other one to West Washington. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2021, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/district-of-columbia-becomes-a-state-what-should-it-be-called/940553/60 "2021-04-24T00:36:43Z")
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